Work of Faith

Sunday.  My favorite day of the week.  

Without apology, I set the world aside, even the world that I once seemed so obligated to that was wrapped up neatly in our Sunday best.   I spend all week pulling and tugging to get through a day filled with worldly cares; a day, a job...people, that barely fit me anymore.  I don't know why it fits less perfectly than it once did, but I can't wait for the sun to settle below the edge of the earth so I can retreat. 

The last thing I want to do is waste this one precious day on anyone but the ones who mean the most to me. 

Today we had a meaningful discussion on Remembering.  Remembering who we are; whose...we are.  Remembering why we are here.  Remembering where we came from and where we are headed. Remembering that when we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, we prosper.  

Prosperity.  Not a word that fits well with the story of us, but then I remembered. 

I remembered all the moments we faced that made no sense.  The moments in which a resolve seemed impossible.  Moments when help we so needed failed, or worse, faded away.  Moments we thought we would never survive.  Moments when it all seemed unfair; and the energy left to deal was dreadfully unmatched to the task at hand.  

I remembered how we never gave up, we never gave in.  We pursued, persevered and pressed on.  We watched the impossible become possible and I remembered to today, that my kids were raised on nothing more than faith, prayer and whole lot of love.  

I remembered that all these things we counted as shortcomings, truly were for our good.  I remembered that without the impossible life I was given to live, I would have never known the peace that can be found in faith; the adventure that can unfold in a simple, heartfelt prayer. And all the people who have stood by with a judging eye, and a pity in their heart had no idea what it was they were really seeing

I've had this thought before but today, it seemed different.  Today I felt gratitude that I lived long enough to see how far we've come, how blessed we've been and what a gift it is to know faith.  I never fully realized how hard we have worked to be here; all of us.  Each one of us, has fought for every mustard seed of faith we have, it's been earned in the fiery afflictions of life, when everyone around us seemed to have it so much easier, whether that is a truth or not, that is how it has felt.  

We continue to face impossible moments but to pause today to remember this great work of faith and see the fruits of what we have sown in our sorrow and sadness at times, has fueled my soul to keep going.  It isn't easy and I would hardly call it a gift, but it has been worth it.  I can say that with surety today.